Railroad-switch signal



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H. L. PINNEY.

RAILROAD SWITCH SIGNAL. No. 269,958. Patented Jan. 2, 1883.

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H'. L. PINNEY.

I RAILROAD SWITGH SIGNAL. No. 269,958. Patented Jan. 2, 1883.

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y UNITED STATES P TENT. OFFICE.

HENRY Ii. PINNEY, or SOUTH wm'nsoe, ASSIGNOR or 0NE-HALF TO AUGUSTUS H. BAKER, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

RAILROAD-SWITCH SlGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 269,958, dated January 2, 1883,

v 7 Application filed April 6, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, HENRY L. PINNEY, of South Windsor, in the county Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain 5 new and useful Improvements in Railroad- Switch Signals, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, where- Figure 1 is a plan view of a railroad-track, showing several'switches and my device as applied to them. Fig. 2 isa side elevation of same. Fig. 3 is a detail view ot'a switch-stand andconnections,showingtrackin section. Fig. 4 is a view of same in plan below plane denoted by line 00 m. Fig. 5 is a detail view of a signal-stand and mechanism. Fig. dis a view of same in section below plane y 3 showing adjusting-ring. Fig. HS a diagram showing the method of connecting several switches and the mechanism of the switch-stands with a main signal-wire and signals located at a distance each way from the switches.

My invention relates to that class of devices whereby any displacement of a railroad-s witch 5 is indicated at a distance from the switch and on either side of it.

It consists in the peculiar device used to transfer the motion of the switches to the signals, and in the mechanism of the signal-stands. I 33 1n the accompanying drawings, the letter a denotes a main railroad-track, provided with switches b, a, and d, operated from switchstands efg, and connected to thcm'by connecting-rods e'fg. The switch-stand e is provided with a vertical rod, 6 r'otarily connected to the stand, and having at its lower end a crank, e To this crank is attached a connecting-rod, e, iii-such manner that the rotation of rod 6 by any ordinarymeans, as lever e, throws the switch to right or left of the main track, as desired. To the outer end of the crank is also attached a chain or flexible cord, IL, fast at its other end to a main signalwire, h, whichmain wire is also connected with the mechanism of a signal-stand, i, fixed at any required distance from the switch; At a suitable distance (about half-way) between the signal-stand and the switch-stand the wire it passes over pulleys j 70, set in a frame or case,

1, and is secured to a take-up weight or governor, m.

The signal-stand t is provided with a VBItl cal rotary staff, it, to which the wire '71. is se- 7 cured, and about which it, or a chain connected to-it, is wound for a few turns. A pulley, 'v, is fixed in a vertical position to the stand '5, and a flexible cord or a chain, 0, attached to and wound about the staff at one end, passes over the pulley o, and is fast to weight 12 at its other end. The stafl n bears a signal "of ordinary form, ora lantern arranged to indicate r safety or danger, as desired.

The switch-standsfand g are arranged similarly to e, and are connected to the main wire it by similar chains, h h.

When the main trackis continuous, as shown in Fig. 1,the signal indicates safety, but when either 0tthe switches, as b, is thrown over, the wire it is pulled toward the switch-stand, the weight m raised, slackening the portion of the wire between the weight and the signal, the staffis rotated bythepull of the weightp, and the danger-signal is set. Each of the other switches, as c (I, connected to this main wire may be operated at will; but danger will be shown till all of the switches are set for the main track, and as the last of the series is replaced the weight m falls, pulling up the lighter counterpoisap, and turning the signal to show safety. The weightmserves to keep the main wire taut, and to compensate all changes of length due to variations of temperature.

When a switch is connected with signals at a distance each way from it a crank'is provided on each side of the stand and connections made, as shown in Fig. 4. In case a number of switches are to be connected to signals at a distance each way, they are arranged and connected as shown in diagram Fig. 7, the wires beingfdrawn aside to clearly show the method ot'connecting them to'the switch mechanism. In use the wires are drawn taut, as

before described.

In order to adjust thestaii'a in its rotation, a ring, r, is arranged to clamp to the staff, and having an arm, s, playing between the stops it t, fixed to the stand.

I claim as my invention--- 1. In a railroad-switch signal, in combination, switch I), connecting-rod e, switch-stand a, crank 6 chain'h, main wire h, governorweigbt m, pulleys j k, signal-stand 1, located 5 at a distance from the switch, and operating mechanism for signaling, all substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a railroad-switch signal, in combinatien, a signal-stand, 'i, rotary signal-staff n, bearing the adjustable ring 1', having arm 8, or 10 its equivalent, stops t, pulley 1), Chain 0, and eounterpoise 1), all substantially as described.

. HENRY LEE PINNEY. Witnesses:

'CHAS. L. BURDETT,

WM. H. Mimsn. 

